Bring your own toilet paper. Better yet…don’t have to use the bathroom at all. That. Building. Was. Smelly. And. Disgusting. The door wouldn’t lock, so I generously held it shut, but apparently for too long because then I heard, “Let me out, let me out”. Ummm yeah…it was bad.

And we’re off…

Reflection #2

Bring bug spray. This is not a joke. I repeat…bring bug spray. I clearly have a buzzing phobia. Poor Rachel had to listen to my frequent moments of buzzing hysteria. I nearly ran over her in one of my attempts to get away. There was this one especially aggressive buzzing that almost caused a tragedy and most definitely ruined a really good photo op. I’m not actually waving at her in this photo. I’m frantically getting a buzzing thing away from me.

Oh and a buzzing thing caused me to panic while attempting a selfie and somehow I recorded a video. You’re welcome for that.

Reflection #3

“Climbing a mountain is all about perspective.” See what I did there? I’ve been thinking a lot about this. We all have mountains in our lives. Some are hills, some are giant beasts like this one. Either way, we can do it. We can make it to the top. Just give yourself perspective and keep going.

Reflection #4

Walking and typing is difficult. As a new blogger (insert my know-it-all voice), I’m constantly thinking of things to write about. As an almost 40 year old, I forget quickly. “Notes” on the iPhone is a great tool to jot (type) my ideas. However, this is hard while climbing a mountain.

Reflection #5

This is no easy task. “No pain, no elevation gain”.

Reflection #6

Selfies are an art form. I think we mastered them. That selfie-stick from Christmas really came in handy.

Reflection #7

That last part of the climb was never-ending. Holy cow. But we made it. Even if my shirt and hat were soaked in my own sweat. And a direct quote from my lowest, I can’t possibly go any further moment, “I think we’re almost to the end of the trail…or my life” The lookout was super cool. How the heck did they build that?

Reflection #8

Washington is beautiful. Enough said. I’ve lived in this state my entire life and there is so much that I haven’t experienced yet. We are so fortunate to live in a state that has it all…the ocean, the mountains, the forest, four distinct seasons, sunshine, snow, rain (I know, I know). But I’ll take the Washington rain any day over a place that lacks all of this beauty.

Reflection #9

Going down is much easier (and faster) than going up. This is probably pretty obvious, but it was also so glorious that it needed to be mentioned. Although, there are other treacherous moments waiting to happen on the way down. Like slipping and falling. Or this where we may have taken it a little too far, “One wrong step and you’ve got a twisted ankle. Or a broken leg. Or a cracked forehead. Or death.” But we survived.

Reflection #10

Go with an awesome person. Thank you Rach for being part of my adventure team and for making this one happen. I enjoyed our conversation, the stories, the laughs, the moments of hysteria (on my part) and that fall that may or may not have happened. We are 30-something rockstars (well, I can say that for 356 more days anyway). Then I’ll just have to be a 40-something rockstar hanging out with my 30-something friend!